So many are using the bad economy to justify their bad attitudes. You can no longer take the attitude that it is up to others to get along with you. In order to get the results you want from team members and colleagues, the more you understand how your behavior impacts others, the more you can manage the effectiveness of your relationships. We are a product of our daily experiences. Each experience creates a set of emotions, which ultimately drive our behavior.  

In his best-selling 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman reported that conventional measures of intelligence (IQ) account for 20% of a person's success.  Being smart, possessing skills and being driven can get you only so far at work. To really succeed, it's important to be in possession of emotional competencies, often referred to as EQ (emotional quotient).  Emotional intelligence is

•       The ability to recognize, and understand, our emotions and the emotions of others                  

•       Our skill at using this awareness to manage ourselves and to manage our relationships

Emotional intelligence is incredibly relevant to the workplace, especially for leadership, management, and teamwork. The workplace is traditionally one of the most emotionally "unsafe" environments. Working professionals are often very protective of their image and what others think of them. The workplace is where working professionals spend most of their time.

Tips for Developing Emotional Intelligence 

• Be committed to honesty with self and others
• Take the time to reflect and understand self; take the time to do the same regarding others
• Listen
• Seek to understand, check and validate what you believe
• Maintain an awareness of your motives and the motives or needs of others